traumatic brain injury- tbi national association of special education teachers

Traumatic Brain Traumatic Brain Injury-TBIInjury-TBI

National National Association of Association of

Special Education Special Education TeachersTeachers

DefinitionDefinition

A traumatic brain A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury injury (TBI) is an injury to the brain caused by to the brain caused by the head being hit by the head being hit by something or shaken something or shaken violently. violently.


This injury can change how This injury can change how the person acts, moves, the person acts, moves, and thinks. A traumatic and thinks. A traumatic brain injury can also brain injury can also change how a student change how a student learns and acts in school. learns and acts in school.


The term TBI is used The term TBI is used for head injuries that for head injuries that can cause changes in can cause changes in one or more areas, one or more areas, such as:such as:

General Areas AffectedGeneral Areas Affected

thinking and thinking and reasoning, reasoning,

understanding words, understanding words, remembering things, remembering things,


paying attention, paying attention, solving problems, solving problems, thinking abstractly, thinking abstractly, talking, talking, behaving, behaving,


walking and other walking and other physical activities, physical activities,

seeing and/or seeing and/or hearing, and hearing, and

learning. learning.

TBITBI

The term TBI is not used The term TBI is not used for a person who is born for a person who is born with a brain injury. It with a brain injury. It also is not used for also is not used for brain injuries that brain injuries that happen during birth.happen during birth.

IDEA DefinitionIDEA Definition

““...an acquired injury to the ...an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a both, that adversely affects a

child’s educational performance.child’s educational performance.


The term applies to open or closed head The term applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language; more areas, such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psycho-social behavior; physical functions; psycho-social behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech.information processing; and speech.


The term does not The term does not apply to brain injuries apply to brain injuries that are congenital or that are congenital or degenerative, or to degenerative, or to brain injuries induced brain injuries induced by birth trauma.” by birth trauma.”

PrevalencePrevalence

More than one million More than one million children receive brain children receive brain injuries each year. More than injuries each year. More than 30,000 of these children have 30,000 of these children have lifelong disabilities as a lifelong disabilities as a result of the brain injury.result of the brain injury.

Signs of TBISigns of TBI

The signs of brain injury can The signs of brain injury can be very different depending be very different depending on where the brain is injured on where the brain is injured and how severely. Children and how severely. Children with TBI may have one or with TBI may have one or more difficulties, including: more difficulties, including:


Physical disabilities:Physical disabilities: Individuals with TBI may Individuals with TBI may have problems:have problems:

speaking, seeing, hearing, and using their speaking, seeing, hearing, and using their other senses. other senses.

They may have headaches and feel tired a They may have headaches and feel tired a lot.lot.


They may also have trouble They may also have trouble with skills such as writing or with skills such as writing or drawing. drawing.

Their muscles may suddenly Their muscles may suddenly contract or tighten (this is contract or tighten (this is called spasticity). called spasticity).

They may also have seizures. They may also have seizures.


Their balance and walking Their balance and walking may also be affected. may also be affected.

They may be partly or They may be partly or completely paralyzed on completely paralyzed on one side of the body, or one side of the body, or both sides.both sides.


Difficulties with thinking:Difficulties with thinking: Because the brain has been Because the brain has been injured, it is common that the injured, it is common that the person’s ability to use the brain person’s ability to use the brain changes. For example, children changes. For example, children with TBI may have trouble with:with TBI may have trouble with:

short-term memory short-term memory long-term memory long-term memory


concentrating and only be concentrating and only be able to focus their able to focus their attention for a short time. attention for a short time.

They may think slowlyThey may think slowlyThey may have trouble They may have trouble talking and listening to talking and listening to othersothers


They may also have difficulty They may also have difficulty with reading and writing, with reading and writing, planning, understanding the planning, understanding the order in which events happen order in which events happen (called sequencing), and (called sequencing), and judgment.judgment.


Social, behavioral, or Social, behavioral, or emotional problems:emotional problems: These These difficulties may include:difficulties may include:

sudden changes in mood, sudden changes in mood, anxiety and depressionanxiety and depression

Children with TBI may have Children with TBI may have trouble relating to otherstrouble relating to others


They may be restless and They may be restless and may laugh or cry a lotmay laugh or cry a lot

They may not have much They may not have much motivation or much motivation or much control over their control over their emotions. emotions.

TBITBI

A child with TBI may not A child with TBI may not have all of the above have all of the above difficulties.difficulties. Brain injuries Brain injuries can range from mild to can range from mild to severe, and so can the severe, and so can the changes that result from changes that result from the injury the injury

Educational ConcernsEducational Concerns

When children with TBI return to school, When children with TBI return to school, their educational and emotional needs their educational and emotional needs are often very different than before the are often very different than before the injuryinjury

Their disability has happened suddenly Their disability has happened suddenly and traumaticallyand traumatically

They can often remember how they were They can often remember how they were before the brain injury. This can bring on before the brain injury. This can bring on many emotional and social changesmany emotional and social changes


The child’s family, friends, The child’s family, friends, and teachers also recall and teachers also recall what the child was like what the child was like before the injury. before the injury.

These other people in the These other people in the child’s life may have trouble child’s life may have trouble changing or adjusting their changing or adjusting their expectations of the child.expectations of the child.


Therefore, it is extremely important to plan Therefore, it is extremely important to plan carefully for the child’s return to school. carefully for the child’s return to school.

Parents will want to find out ahead of time Parents will want to find out ahead of time about special education services at the about special education services at the school. This information is usually available school. This information is usually available from the school’s principal or special from the school’s principal or special education teacher.education teacher.

traumatic brain injury- tbi national association of special education teachers

Documents

brain injuries

traumatic brain injury

term tbi

acquired injury

closed head injuries

general areas

idea definition

physical activities